Val810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBUYjkpfNl
Seven buildings sit on top of a mountain in a semi-circle. Each one is labeled A-J except for G, there is no G. A is the main office building and history. B and C are English, math, and science. D is medical classes, home and family classes, and computer labs. E is ROTC, masonry, and other hands on CTE stuff. F is foreign languages and special education. J is gym, band, chorus, and cafeteria. Late morning fog rolls in and covers the campus of Tuscola High School in thick waves. The fog covers me like a wet blanket as I take the outside route to third period. 810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbF8PvZSPpW
"Stop smiling, it's suspicious." Kenneth elbows me hard as he walks beside me to third period Biomedical Technology. "You just got yelled at by a moody math teacher, we got a pep talk on how our lives are vain in English, and you're smiling. What's wrong with you? Do you have Botox in your face? Do you have Bell's palsy? Are you on drugs?"810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOoDVoDh5o
Kenneth grabs my sleeve and tugs on it. He used to be so much shorter than me but this year, our sophomore year, he's grown to be the exact same height as me. His black almond shaped eyes peer into my soul and his set of full lips angrily purse.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRph90IjOa
"What's wrong with you? Tell me, I've known you since first grade when you gave me a black eye for calling you stupid. I know when things aren't right with you." 810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVI4GQrN5jl
I roll my eyes and elbow him hard in the ribs jokingly. "Nothing's wrong." I stare down at my arms and see the glowing blue marks pulsing with energy. I rub my finger on our symbol and almost walk into a pole.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5R2B2wTHvL
"There you go again! Why are you rubbing your arms?! Val, are you on drugs because normal people don't do this."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxRUvbchH3
I smile even wider. I'm not a normal person anymore. "I'm great. If anything, I should turn the question to you. Mr. Macaroni-"810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1QsXOeBMeK
"Marconi! I hate it when you do that! It's Marconi, Marconi like the inventor!" He crosses his arms tight over his broad chest and glares at me. I've been trying to get him to join the football team for a while now but he's too awkward and fragile.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCiZO7tnRtC
"Okay Marconi, why are you so hateful today?"810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGVWOg9y013
"It's no big deal, but… my request to go to the School of Science and Math has been denied. So now, everything I've ever planned to do in life is derailed and I have to decide what to do with my life." He sighs and pulls out a letter with shaking hands. He looks at it and put it back into his pockets. "I've worked for four years to get into that place and now… they don't want me."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WUsDbOABU
I feel my expression soften as I turn into the biomed class. "Well… When you become the astrophysicist that figures out where the next life sustaining planet is, we won't donate any of your money to their charity." It's too late about the life sustaining planet thing, I do believe that the Inimicus have found us.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmbo4dTaGtc
He smiles, "I guess you're right." We part ways and sit on opposite sides of the classroom. I take a seat in a cluster of four desks and lay my book bag down against the nasty wood linoleum floor and pull out the pencil I found on the floor today. I am ready for class.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFmjTo4DHs
"Hello my fellow Socius," a voice whispers in my ear. I almost stab him with my pencil in shock but he pushes my hand down. "Let's not do that, I don't want to give my ability to the person that killed me." Ash takes a seat in the desk beside me and sighs. "How are you feeling today?"810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxwV5uSUEp
I shrug, "I feel like I am recovering from a concussion and my head feels like it might burst open. But other than that, I am okay. And you?" 810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAfL0xcJAC
"I am well." He scoots closer to me and I can see the excitement in his glowing blue eyes. "SV posted something on his blog yesterday. I'll let you read it in a minute but it looks like we're about to start class and I don't need to get my phone taken and have them find SV's blog. That would be dangerous for us and SV."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqf57xVZROJ
The other two people in the group of desks slide into their spots. The girl beside me, April, is a senior with dyed blonde hair who is a complete ho, she has no filter button and nothing she ever does is censored. The other girl, her name is Melody, sits next to Ash and hands him her red and white striped cane. I've known her since elementary school but we've never really talked unless we were in a group assignment together. Her hair is a natural wavy red that perfectly complements her pale skin. She opens her eyes wide and I stare at the deep blue color of her irises, it's too bad her eyes don't work. She's completely blind.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEj5PEmVTK
"So we didn't have any homework did we?" April stares down at her flower pop binder as if it's an alien object to her.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmT97y699L
"No," Melody says and I swear that if she wasn't polite she would've flipped her off. She pulls out a thick black Braillenote and begins reading something in Braille.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPSEV0uRrO
"So…" Ash trails off as our teacher begins taking attendance. "How was everyone's day?" April stares at him as if he just asked her to hand over the Holy Grail.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbh6STEZDV
"Ash just stop trying. It's a hard long Friday and I'm already done with school. This didn't save my notes from yesterday, great." Melody lightly punches the Brailenote because those things are expensive. 810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNoosuF5nM
Mrs. Abbe drops a stack of textbooks to get our attention. "Alright wake up, I see you in the back with your head down. Today, we're still on the topic of nanotechnology and the pros and cons of…"
That class always goes by fast because the subject matter is interesting unlike math and whatnot. The bell rings for lunch and everyone sprints out the door. It's Friday and we're halfway through the day.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVfFQewyXe
Ash grabs my arm and shoulders his backpack. We start walking. "Okay, so I'll show you SV's blog, and you need to stop scratching your arms. They're all red and annoyed now, it looks suspicious. It makes you look like you're on drugs."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEcTYfAFxR
I look at my arms and manage to look past the glowing symbols to the irritated red skin. "Well you make me feel as if I'm on drugs, I mean you gave me the marks." I yank down my sleeves as far as they go but they only cover half of my forearm. "I'm new to this whole superhuman thing, I just got this yesterday."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk34e8dHRIz
"I told you to stay at home, I tried to tell you but you didn't listen to me. I know about these things, in case you didn't realize it. I am a Socius ya know. This is what I do for a living."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LsQHSSa0Q
"Won't they ever stop glowing? I couldn't sleep because I kept seeing my arms glow and then I kept feeling like I was going to wake up in a torture room with little green men."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bAe4ZHsoS
"I told you, they aren't like that. They aren't little and they aren't green. And yes it will dull down to just a sapphire blue, at least I think so."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxdd6GvuuC
I smirk and give him a playful push. "I thought you were an expert, So-"810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaElQDREqiy
Suddenly a strong hand grabs my shoulder. "Val, where are you going? You forgot someone." Kenneth pushes Ash aside rudely and stands beside me. "We always walk together, what are you doing?"810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yePOaR418
"Sorry, Ash and I were just talking." Kenneth gives me a look that scares me.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3JT2d7EF0
"Okay, well…" Kenneth elbows me in the shoulder. "I uh… I heard the cafeteria is serving chicken nuggets, and I know that you like chicken nuggets. Come on, Val." He takes me by the hand and takes a huge roundabout to the outdoor wooden picnic table beside the cafeteria dumpsters.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13uOchJcqa
I throw his hands away from me and cross my arms. The September sun beats down on me like an unforgiving enemy and sweat breaks out on my forehead. "What are you doing?"810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3RWiHRVFk
"Saving you from a highly dangerous social predator." He narrows is eyes at me and points to the seat across from him. "Sit, we need to have a little chat."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdRDK1vgyD
I brush a couple of crumbs and a ketchup packet away from the seat and sigh. "What Kenneth? Are you going to have a dad talk with me because if you are I don't want to hear it. You are being extremely rude today. What do you want?"810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TSDf2NEy4
Kenneth slaps his hand against the table, cursing when a yellow painted splinter stabs his hand. "See, this is one thing I wanted to talk about."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVRnD5hDEm
"Your splinter?"810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3maxjeHQ5x
"No! Val you know exactly what I'm talking about. You're acting weird today. First you keep rubbing your arms." He looks down and I notice for the first time that I'm unconsciously clawing at the marks.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCa0RE6HO4W
"Allergies to ragweed, I went in the woods yesterday." I'm a terrific liar but Kenneth knows me better than I know myself. 810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5s2xAdh1Gs
Kenneth narrows his eyes. "You are avoiding my questions. You're smiling and happy for no reason, and you just flirted with Asahel Arete? What's wrong with you? I already told you that I don't trust him. His eyes, there's something weird about them. He's hiding something."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwugB2ROjk
"Wait, you think that I'm flirting?" I stand up and shoulder my backpack. "Well if you don't believe me then I'm going somewhere else. And I trust him, he's a friend. I don't make friends that often. I can't believe you! You're just jealous." I walk away secretly smiling, knowing that he'll follow me. 810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86anQWRyqK
"Jealous? You think I'm jealous?" He starts to push through the crowds to reach me but I'm already weaving into the overflowing cafeteria. I know what makes him tick and unfinished arguments are his weakness. He'll fight me over this until he wins but I can avoid that with one move. 810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9BO4JPOvwJ
One minute later we're sitting with Ash.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WmE0m1yz9
Kenneth crosses his arms and stares down at a small hole in the black table. He looks up and gives me a terrible look of "I am literally going to kill you in your sleep". I raise one side of my lips in a smirking gesture.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWWM26J1UN
Ash stares at me and then back at Kenneth, apparently not making the connection that he's the reason for the tension. "So you wanted to read SV's blog?" His voice is just above a whisper because of the intensity of the cafeteria.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyLI3EeaSD
I nod and he pulls out his phone, quickly unlocking it with his thumbprint and pulling up a tab in Incognito. He types in a URL and suddenly a silver page pops up. I stare at the title and smile. "To the Twelve". So it is real then. It isn't a figment of my imagination.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpD3jqeqi5
Ash hands me the phone as I scroll down through the entries and read about SV's personal experiences and his rumors. I don't know who this SV is, but I think he's incredibly stupid. His stunts are flashy, his getaways are purposely intense, and his attitude makes me think we'll be good friends. I keep scrolling down and see a bunch of comments in the comment section.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJIXv5Bjmtt
"Just Normals who think the blog is a fictional log. Sometimes, a Socius will say something but it's quickly deleted by SV." Ash points at the comments, "we warned them but I guess they didn't listen."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBapMlJ0hl3
I read some of the comments and shake my head. Golden_Girl12784- "OMG! SV you okay? It's so realistic, it's as if there are actually Socius and Inimicus here with us. Please write more. Get published, nobody could turn your stories down! Anybody second that?" 810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6pGvJFFW7f
InsertUserName1627- "SV, please… just stop your terrible writing. You make me consider suicide. Anyways, a blog isn't supposed to be used for the purpose of telling stories every so often. Please get a life and grow up before someone actually kills you."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgHkVmu2Jq
TheRealSV- "@InsertUserName1627 this is me, electronically flipping you off. First of all, why the stupid username? Run out of dumb things to disguise your identity with? My stories are real. I have a life and it's hunting effing Inimicus like you, get off this site before I hunt you down."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDIuNh2Rmf
BlueAnonymous12- "@TheRealSV, it looks like things are staring to get intense. You need to sign off before somebody gets killed. Seriously, you need to log off before someone else gets hurt. Trust me."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEspZP8G77h
I look at Ash and shake my head. "You seriously chose that as your name? BlueAnonymous12? That's totally not obvious."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOmyoePAAo
"Hey keep your voice down," he takes the phone back. "See what we're up against? They are real and we try to warn the people but they don't listen."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvjIGXsObv
"No, we aren't talking about killer aliens, we're talking about your obvious username. Blue," I point to my signs on my arms that are still lit up like a blue firecracker. "12, as in the number of Socius. What were you thinking?"810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdPv4spJZI
"I needed him to know that I wasn't just another Normal." He shakes his head, "you need to focus on the important things."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ347jlOpxzX
"Like how an alien race is trying to kill us and how there are only eight capable Socius left in the world to fight them. And the fact that there's little old me smack dab in the middle of this and that I'm probably going to sustain a mortal wound. I don't know about you but that sounds pretty depressing for a Friday."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3R3sEW0I0
"So let's focus on the fact that SV just electronically flipped someone off."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0gkJuKcUI
"Who flipped somebody off?" Melody from biomed stands over me with her head tilted like a confused puppy. "Did I miss something? Ash did you actually make friends? Shh… Don't scare them off."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfJOSBfLiR
Ash laughs, "don't sound so surprised, I'm ac-" 810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpeyqCM3nE
"Wait," Kenneth says really confused. "You can't see us, you're blind. How did you do that? You're blind right?"810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM758mJe1wK
She drops her cane in shock and desperately touches her glass eyeballs before cupping her hands over her face. "No, no, no!" She screams and sits down beside me, unamused. "Really? Kenneth Marconi, did you really just say that to me? I can hear you and besides I know these things, I'm not an idiot."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRUYwGYlJ9
"How do you know my name?" He retorts suspiciously, narrowing his almond eyes.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJggZApOkMQ
"You're loudmouth in biomed. I'm fairly certain Russia can hear you." She crosses her arms and brushes a piece of hair away from her face. "And by the way, I'm blind, not stupid." 810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VOrsxc12k
I smile at Kenneth as I see him seethe angrily at all of us. Good, he gets what he deserves. 810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKLDnQ5wy1
Suddenly a group of people right beside us stands on the table and shouts nonsense words at the entire cafeteria. I can only hear one word. "UP! UP! UP! UP!" Then one loud voice, "EVERYBODY GET YOSELF UP!"810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡciUXxWHARC
"Oh no," Melody whispers to me kinda scared, "they're about to do the fight song."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8asbOp6yR
I stand like an ungainly penguin in my chair and cross my arms. Melody grabs her cane and wields it like a baseball bat. She sighs. "Every Friday, people, this is unnecessary. This is totally unnecessary." Ash nods as he joins me standing in his chair. Kenneth walks across the table and stands right between us as if protecting me. What does he think he's doing?810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7AJvyIvfts
I look across the cafeteria and see a guy with Cherokee eyes and skin staring at me intensely. Shaun. My archenemy. I called him an idiot last year in science and then he made a public spectacle of my mistakes. I don't care what it is, I will win against him. I stare back at him and we make it a competition of staring. He looks away first. I win. He sticks up a single broken finger in my direction and I raise an eyebrow and smirk. 810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGRQ1wENfe
Suddenly a rhythmic clap begins to start through the cafeteria. A whole stampede of football jersey clad guys start running through the cafeteria aisles as if it's the running of the bulls. 810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78q76FH0Zc
Then, words start to form out of the nonsense, slow at first. Slow… "Bum-Bum-Bum," FAST. "Bum-Bum-Bum-Bum-Bum-Bum." The clapping starts to get offbeat and progressively faster. "On Tuscola, on Tuscola! Fight right through that line! Draw a circle, round ol' Pisgah, as we did in days of old time! On Tuscola, On Tuscola! Fight right through that line! We're for you Mountaineers! So! Win! This! Game! Woo!" We thrust our fists in the air and scream out the woo again. The clapping and cheering abruptly ceases as the cafeteria goes from patriotic mountaineer football fans back down to loud teenagers. The football players stop racing around the cafeteria and take their seats at the table dubbed by Kenneth and me as the "jock" table. 810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriUhAX4LwY
I sit back down and shake my head, "they're all insane." 810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcLgBgerEX
"Tell me about it," Kenneth says, "give me a freaking headache."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkMYBXgkLj
"You are a headache," I say and rub my temples. I'm feeling nauseas again. I close my eyes and Ash nudges me.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvDYeL1lzt
"Are you okay? You're starting to look green." 810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbpvFfisVy
I nod, "I'm not feeling good. I blame you." Kenneth gives me a look of, "hold up… what? What'd you two do?".810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbm7PtlfJqq
"Kenneth shut up," Melody says instead of me. I look back at her in shock. "I can hear your thoughts from over here, little nasty-"810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCrY5QZA3Q6
"And here I was thinking that you were a polite and reserved individual." I laugh, "apparently not."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDi3Wtuz0fA
Ash and her both laugh hysterically. She wipes a fake tear from her eyes. "That is hilarious, reserved and polite describe nothing about me. Anyways, you were talking about electronically flipping someone off? Asahel Arete, why did you electronically flip someone off?"810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCedz0yfET5
Ash laughs, "let me tell you the story…" He begins weaving a story that has nothing to do with SV or InsertUserName1627. I laugh back and hope I don't sound too hysterical because at this point I think I'm mental.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEgsJJIcgC
